Heretofore, it has been the practice to separate layers of stacked piping pyramid with horizontally positioned, cross extending wood timbers. However, this method is not satisfactory from a number of standpoints, for example, it does not prevent damage entailed between pipe members of each layer due to their movement horizontally against each other. Further, it does not provide a positive means for preventing movement of the pipe members as stacked and entails difficulty in attempting to work slings or hooks around pipe members in the stack when they are to be removed for usage. In fact, this is a rather dangerous operation using the conventional type of timber stacking approach.
Also, in evaluating the matter, I determined that a suitable device for giving pipe members suitable stacking protection should be relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, but able to fully withstand the stress and strain involved, be reusable, easily mountable, accessible and removable, and so-mountable as to enable easy and effective access to pipe members by personnel and handling equipment.
The present invention solves these problems and enables both vertical and horizontal separation of each pipe section with respect to adjacent pipe members or sections.
There have been unitary, multiple pipe receiving, end positioned stacking structures which are adapted to separate pipe members, but these have been too complex and expensive, are easily subject to damage and are of limited usage from the standpoint of the number of pipe members which can be handled in this manner. They are generally not reusable and have not been accepted for these and other reasons. There have also been protectors that are mounted about pipe members that are to be actively used in drilling operations. These devices are complex and costly, since they are specially designed for frictional operation in wells in which they are used, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,929,388 and 3,894,780. They are different in their overall purpose and are not designed or constructed for the present contemplated type of usage. They are used, for example, to protect a well pipe drilling string from abrading against the surrounding casing or well bore hole walls.
There are also clamp constructions for more or less permanently mounting cables, piping and conduits in place on walls, vehicle frames and side boards, etc., see U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,238. Also, U-shaped rack units have been devised for supporting a group of underground electrical conduits, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,542, as well as the above-mentioned end positioned article storage racks, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,626. However, to date, I have not heretofore found anything in the nature of reusable and practical means for the problems here involved.